Most residents do not know what the building's insurance covers – and that is not their fault: nobody has told them. This resource is the skeleton of a short, friendly information note that the property manager can fill in with the building's details and then send out or pin up. Ten minutes of work – and at the next claim and the next general meeting it pays back many times over.
- The template's four paragraphs: what the building's policy covers / what it does not / what to do in a claim / who to turn to with questions.
- The tone is deliberately everyday: the note is not a legal document but a neighbourly favour.
- Its companion is the pin-up claim reporting process template.
The template text
Dear Neighbours – a few words about our building's insurance
Our building has building and liability insurance: it protects the common property – the roof, the façade, the stairwell, the shared pipework and the shared rooms – against fire, storm and water damage among other things, and it also responds if the building itself causes damage to someone. The premium is part of the common charges.
Important to know: the building's insurance does not extend to the interiors of the flats or to contents – furniture, appliances, personal belongings. Those are what each household's own home insurance is for; it is worth checking whether you have one and whether it is up to date.
In case of damage: the short guide on the noticeboard sets out the most important steps – please also notify the property manager when you spot damage: [name, contact details].
If you have a question, do turn to the property manager. I review the building's insurance – if the manager asks – so that the cover keeps pace with real values.
Advice on using it
The text deliberately contains no policy number and no premium details – those are best kept with the manager; what the resident needs is the direction: what is covered, what to do, who the contact is. It can be extended with the building's own specifics (rules for the underground garage, rules for storage units – background). And one piece of experience: the best moment for such a note is not the tense one after a claim but a quiet stretch – as an annex to the annual report, for instance. And to prepare for the questions, the questions and answers collection helps.
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